University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Friday, March 3
Charlotte, NC (Bojangles Coliseum)
Noon
UNC Asheville
vs
Charleston Southern
Men’s Basketball Readies for Matchup vs. Charleston Southern in the Big South Quarterfinals
03.02.2023 | Men's Basketball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Asheville men's basketball team will open play in the 2023 Hercules Tires Big South Men's Basketball Tournament on Friday when it takes on ninth-seeded Charleston Southern at Noon on Friday from the Bojangles' Coliseum in Charlotte.
Gameday Information
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: ESPN Asheville
Follow: Live Stats
Promotions: If you can't make it Charlotte, join fellow Bulldog fans at Bear's Smokehouse on Coxe Avenue in downtown Asheville for a watch party. Bear's is the proud postseason sponsor of Bulldog basketball.
Last Time Out – Asheville finished out its regular season with a 76-66 road win over Longwood last Saturday. With that win, the Bulldogs tied the program's single season record for wins (24) and conference wins (16). Furthermore, it was Asheville's 22nd win over a Division I foe this season, which is a new program record for one season.
Bulldogs Earn All-Conference Honors from Big South – The Bulldogs were well-represented when the Big South announced its annual award winners and All-Conference teams. Drew Pember and Head Men's Basketball Coach Mike Morrell were voted the 2022-23 Big South Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year and Coach of the Year, respectively, by the league's head coaches and media panel. Pember, who also repeated as the League's Defensive Player of the Year, headlined the All-Big South First Team along with fellow Bulldog Tajion Jones. Fletcher Abee, meanwhile, was Asheville's All-Academic Team honoree.
Pember Nears Single-Season Scoring Record – Pember, who became the first player in Big South history to lead the league in scoring, rebounding, and blocks for a season, is nearing another milestone. He needs to score just 18 more points to break the school's single-season scoring record. The current record is held by Andrew Rowsey (648 points) in 2013-14.
Bulldogs in the Big South Tournament – Historically, the Bulldogs have seen their share of success in the Big South Tournament. Overall, Asheville has a record of 35-31 in the conference tournament. Asheville's successes include five tournament titles (1989, 2003, 2011, 2012, 2016) and nine appearances in the Championship game. The Bulldogs will enter this weekend as the No. 1 seed for the sixth time in program history and the first since the 2017-18 season.
Big South Basketball Tournament Central - The 2023 Hercules Big South Basketball Tournament will be played through Sunday. For more information about the Big South Tournament, including info on tickets, hotels, the schedules each day and bracket, click HERE.
About Charleston Southern – Charleston Southern is coming off a 72-70 win over eighth-seeded High Point on Wednesday night in the Tournament's First Round. CSU, which is 10-20 overall and 5-13 in Big South action, is led by All-Big South Second Team member Claudell Harris Jr. He averaged 17.6 points per contest, second-best in the league, while also finishing in the top-3 in field goal percentage (.466) and top-4 in free throw percentage (.786). He had a career-high 34 points against High Point as part of two 30-point outputs this season.
Series Rewind vs. Charleston Southern – There is no shortage of history between Asheville and Charleston Southern as the all-time series consists of over 90 games with the Bulldogs holding the edge, 53-39. Asheville, who swept the Buccaneers during the regular season by scores of 73-63 and 80-62, has won four of the seven postseason games between these two programs. However, Charleston Southern won the last one in a buzzer beater, 79-78, in the first round at last year's conference tournament.
Gameday Information
Watch: ESPN+
Listen: ESPN Asheville
Follow: Live Stats
Promotions: If you can't make it Charlotte, join fellow Bulldog fans at Bear's Smokehouse on Coxe Avenue in downtown Asheville for a watch party. Bear's is the proud postseason sponsor of Bulldog basketball.
Last Time Out – Asheville finished out its regular season with a 76-66 road win over Longwood last Saturday. With that win, the Bulldogs tied the program's single season record for wins (24) and conference wins (16). Furthermore, it was Asheville's 22nd win over a Division I foe this season, which is a new program record for one season.
Bulldogs Earn All-Conference Honors from Big South – The Bulldogs were well-represented when the Big South announced its annual award winners and All-Conference teams. Drew Pember and Head Men's Basketball Coach Mike Morrell were voted the 2022-23 Big South Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year and Coach of the Year, respectively, by the league's head coaches and media panel. Pember, who also repeated as the League's Defensive Player of the Year, headlined the All-Big South First Team along with fellow Bulldog Tajion Jones. Fletcher Abee, meanwhile, was Asheville's All-Academic Team honoree.
Pember Nears Single-Season Scoring Record – Pember, who became the first player in Big South history to lead the league in scoring, rebounding, and blocks for a season, is nearing another milestone. He needs to score just 18 more points to break the school's single-season scoring record. The current record is held by Andrew Rowsey (648 points) in 2013-14.
Bulldogs in the Big South Tournament – Historically, the Bulldogs have seen their share of success in the Big South Tournament. Overall, Asheville has a record of 35-31 in the conference tournament. Asheville's successes include five tournament titles (1989, 2003, 2011, 2012, 2016) and nine appearances in the Championship game. The Bulldogs will enter this weekend as the No. 1 seed for the sixth time in program history and the first since the 2017-18 season.
Big South Basketball Tournament Central - The 2023 Hercules Big South Basketball Tournament will be played through Sunday. For more information about the Big South Tournament, including info on tickets, hotels, the schedules each day and bracket, click HERE.
About Charleston Southern – Charleston Southern is coming off a 72-70 win over eighth-seeded High Point on Wednesday night in the Tournament's First Round. CSU, which is 10-20 overall and 5-13 in Big South action, is led by All-Big South Second Team member Claudell Harris Jr. He averaged 17.6 points per contest, second-best in the league, while also finishing in the top-3 in field goal percentage (.466) and top-4 in free throw percentage (.786). He had a career-high 34 points against High Point as part of two 30-point outputs this season.
Series Rewind vs. Charleston Southern – There is no shortage of history between Asheville and Charleston Southern as the all-time series consists of over 90 games with the Bulldogs holding the edge, 53-39. Asheville, who swept the Buccaneers during the regular season by scores of 73-63 and 80-62, has won four of the seven postseason games between these two programs. However, Charleston Southern won the last one in a buzzer beater, 79-78, in the first round at last year's conference tournament.
Players Mentioned
Highlights || Men's Basketball || #2 UNC Asheville vs #5 Longwood (Big South Tournament)
Monday, March 18
Highlights || Men's Basketball || #2 UNC Asheville vs #3 Gardner-Webb (Big South Tournament)
Monday, March 18
Highlights || Men's Basketball || #2 UNC Asheville vs #7 Charleston Southern (Big South Tournament)
Thursday, March 14
Highlights || Men's Basketball || UNC Asheville at Radford
Monday, March 04